Rep. Virginia Foxx said in an interview with WXII12 News Friday that she regrets making comments about the Matthew Shepard Bill and plans to move ahead with her work in Congress.

The Fifth District congresswoman has been under fire for calling the gay man's 1998 beating death a "hoax" instead of a hate crime. She made the comments earlier in the week on the House floor during a debate over the proposed legislation.

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During a 10-minute interview with Foxx at a local hotel, she said she misspoke while giving closing remarks and that the two-minute allotment caused her to rush.

"In the heat of trying to handle the rule on the floor, anybody can use a bad choice of words. Saying that the event was a hoax was a poor choice of words," Foxx said. "I've apologized for that. I never meant in any way to harm the family or offend the family or anybody else for that matter."

The remarks sparked controversy, including at least 10 death threats that were phoned into the congresswoman's Washington, D.C., office.

"It is very unfortunate that these calls have come in. I would say 99 percent of them are from outside the district and it is unfortunate that people have taken this position," she said.

Foxx sent a letter of apology to Shepard's mother, who was present when the comments were made. On Thursday, Judy Shepard reacted to Foxx's comments. "She's apologizing for semantics," Judy Shepard said.

"What I hope my constituents know is that I'm in Washington ever day that I'm required to be there, working hard for them, doing the best to make sure that the federal government doesn't take away their rights and their money," Foxx said, when asked how she would respond to her constituents.

The bill, approved Wednesday by the House, would include acts motivated by sexual orientation under a federal hate crimes law.